// SCAN REPORT

Ynab

49 tools. 18 can modify or destroy data without limits.

5 destructive tools with no built-in limits. Policy required.

Last updated: 3 Jul 2026

18 can modify or destroy data

31 read-only

49 tools total

Community server · catalogue entry verified 03/07/2026

How to control Ynab ↓

TOOL MAP

What Ynab exposes to your agents

Read (31) Write / Execute (13) Destructive / Financial (5)

Running more than one server? Check your whole stack →

MOST DANGEROUS TOOLS

Critical Risk

The most dangerous Ynab tools

Financial · High import_transactions This tool initiates a financial data operation by pulling transactions from linked bank/financial accounts into YNAB. Financial · High update_month_category This tool directly modifies financial budget allocations — moving/assigning money to categories within a budget. Destructive · High delete_category This tool irreversibly deletes financial data (budget categories). Destructive · High delete_scheduled_transaction This tool irreversibly deletes a scheduled transaction, which cannot be undone.

18 of Ynab's 49 tools can modify, destroy, or commit something on every call — and an agent calls them with no built-in limits.

POLICY

How to control Ynab

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Ynab, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. These are the rules we recommend:

Block financial tools by default

{
  "import_transactions": {
    "deny_if": [
      {
        "conditions": [],
        "on_deny": "Requires human approval."
      }
    ]
  }
}

Financial tools should be explicitly enabled per use case, not open by default.

Deny destructive operations

{
  "delete_category": {
    "deny_if": [
      {
        "conditions": [],
        "on_deny": "Blocked by default. Requires approval."
      }
    ]
  }
}

Destructive tools should never be available to autonomous agents without human approval.

Rate limit write operations

{
  "create_account": {
    "limits": [
      {
        "counter": "create_account_per_hour",
        "window": "hour",
        "max": 30,
        "scope": "grant"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Prevents bulk unintended modifications from agents caught in loops.

Cap read operations

{
  "audit_account_reconciliation": {
    "limits": [
      {
        "counter": "audit_account_reconciliation_per_minute",
        "window": "minute",
        "max": 60,
        "scope": "grant"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Controls API costs and prevents retry loops from exhausting upstream rate limits.

Create a free account and register Ynab — nothing to install.
Add these rules — paste them, or build them visually. Tune the limits to your setup.
Point your MCP client (Claude, Cursor, anything) at your gateway URL.

ENFORCE POLICY ON YNAB →

Instant setup, no code required.

FULL CATALOGUE

All 49 Ynab tools

FINANCIAL 2 tools

Financial import_transactions [1 API call] Trigger an import of transactions from linked financial institutions Financial update_month_category [1 API call] Update the budgeted/assigned amount for a category in a specific month. This is how you allocate

DESTRUCTIVE 3 tools

Destructive delete_category [Variable API calls] [Workflow] Prepares a category for deletion by cleaning up its history: Destructive delete_scheduled_transaction [1 API call] Delete a scheduled transaction Destructive delete_transaction [1 API call] Delete a transaction

WRITE 13 tools

Write create_account [1 API call] Create a new account in a budget Write create_category [1 API call] Create a new category in a budget Write create_category_group [1 API call] Create a new category group in a budget Write create_scheduled_transaction [1 API call] Create a new scheduled (recurring) transaction. Date must be in the future (up to 5 years). Write create_transaction [1 API call] Create a new transaction. Amounts are in dollars (positive for inflows, negative for outflows). F Write create_transactions [1 API call, bulk] Create multiple transactions at once. Each transaction needs account_id, date, and amount a Write merge_category [Variable API calls] [Workflow] Merges a source category into a target category: re-categorizes all transactio Write update_category [1 API call] Update an existing category Write update_category_group [1 API call] Update a category group Write update_payee [1 API call] Update a payee Write update_scheduled_transaction [1 API call] Update an existing scheduled transaction Write update_transaction [1 API call] Update an existing transaction Write update_transactions [1 API call, bulk] Update multiple transactions at once. Each must include either id or import_id to identify

READ 31 tools

EXPLORE

Related servers

Other MCP servers with similar tools — same risk classification, starter policies for each.

FAQ

Questions about Ynab

Can an AI agent move money through the Ynab MCP server? +

Yes. The Ynab server exposes 2 financial tools including import_transactions, update_month_category. Without a policy, an autonomous agent can call these with no spend caps, no rate limits, and no approval flow. PolicyLayer lets you block financial tools by default, require human approval, or set per-tool rate limits — enforced on every call.

Can an AI agent delete data through the Ynab MCP server? +

Yes. The Ynab server exposes 3 destructive tools including delete_category, delete_scheduled_transaction, delete_transaction. These permanently remove resources with no undo. PolicyLayer blocks destructive tools by default so they never reach the upstream server.

How do I prevent bulk modifications through Ynab? +

The Ynab server has 13 write tools including create_account, create_category, create_category_group. Set a rate limit in your policy -- for example, 10 calls per hour prevents an agent from making more than 10 modifications per hour. PolicyLayer enforces this at the gateway, before calls reach Ynab.

How many tools does the Ynab MCP server expose? +

49 tools across 3 categories: Destructive, Read, Write. 31 are read-only. 18 can modify, create, or delete data.

How do I enforce a policy on Ynab? +

Register the Ynab MCP server in PolicyLayer, apply the suggested rules above (adjust the limits to your use case), and point your AI client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL instead of the server directly. Your agents keep the same tools; PolicyLayer evaluates every call against policy before it executes. Nothing to install, live in minutes.

Enforce policy on every Ynab tool call.

Deterministic rules across all 49 Ynab tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.

ENFORCE POLICY ON YNAB →

Instant setup, no code required.

49 Ynab tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.